Kumar Bahukhandi
Wrestlers from the Siddi Community Win Three Gold and One Silver Medal-Photo Credit-CG/PR
Raipur: “Talent needs no introduction”—this adage proved true at the ‘Khelo India Tribal Games-2026,’ where wrestlers from Karnataka’s ‘Siddi community’ left a formidable mark on the mat. Their success is no longer limited merely to winning medals; rather, it symbolises the entire community’s emergence as a force to be reckoned with in the field of wrestling. Approximately 50,000 people of African descent—known as the Siddi—reside in India, with one-third of them living in Karnataka.
Nine wrestlers from Karnataka participated in the Khelo India Tribal Games-2026, four of whom belonged to the Siddhi community. Of these four wrestlers, three clinched gold medals, while one secured a silver medal. The gold medalists include Manisha Juava Siddi (76 kg), Rohan M. Dodamani (Greco-Roman 60 kg), and Princita Pedru Fernandes Siddi (68 kg), while Shalina Seyar Siddhi (57 kg) had to settle for a silver medal.
The success of these wrestlers tells a story not only of their personal struggles and hard work but also highlights the growing dominance of the Siddi community in sports like wrestling. All four of these wrestlers from Karnataka had undergone trials at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Delhi, where they had secured the top spots as well.
Mamata, the coach of the Karnataka wrestling team, feels immensely proud of the Siddi community’s performance.
Mamata stated, “Just as Haryana holds dominance in wrestling across our country, similarly, within our state, the Ahalial region maintains a supremacy in the sport. The Department of Youth and Development and the Center within the state primarily cater to this very Siddi community.
Their children train right here.” Over the past while, the craze for wrestling has grown within this community, and people have now begun encouraging their children to take up the sport.
Rohan M. Dodamani—a male wrestler hailing from the Dharwad district of North Karnataka—also belongs to this very community. Dodamani’s mother works as a cook at a government school, while his father passed away six years ago.
Rohan said, “Within the Siddi community, small wrestling bouts are held from time to time, and those who emerge victorious are honored with substantial prize money. Before winning the gold medal at the Khelo India Tribal Games-2026, I had also participated in the Senior National Championships, the National Games, and the All India University Games.”
To identify the hidden talent among athletes across the country and provide them with a superior platform, the Sports Authority of India (SAI) and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports jointly launched the Khelo India Youth Games in 2018. Subsequently, the Khelo India University Games were introduced, followed now by the launch of the Khelo India Tribal Games.
Mahasingh Rao, a member of SAI’s Talent Development Committee, states, “On behalf of SAI and the Ministry of Sports, we identify talented children at a young age.
This initiative forms an integral part of the government’s strategy to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s dream of hosting the 2036 Olympic Games in India.
Alongside the Prime Minister, the Sports Minister, SAI, and all of us are dedicated to fulfilling this dream—ensuring that we win the maximum number of medals in upcoming Olympic Games.”
Shalina Sayer Siddhi, hailing from the Uttara Kannada (Karwar) district of Karnataka, remarked after winning the silver medal in this competition, “People within our community have now begun to take a keen interest in wrestling.
I started wrestling at the behest of my uncle, who has been training me right from the very beginning. I had put in my absolute best effort for this competition, but fate had other plans, and I narrowly missed out on winning the gold medal.”
Princita Siddi, also from the Uttara Kannada (Karwar) district of Karnataka, said, “Initially, I had absolutely no interest in wrestling and would often cry about it. However, as children from our community gradually began participating in the sport, watching them inspired me to start practicing as well. To reach this level, I practice for two hours each—both in the morning and in the evening.
My goal is to win a medal at the international level, and I am working extremely hard to achieve that.”
The success of these wrestlers serves as irrefutable proof that when provided with the right platform, training, and support, athletes from even the most remote… Talents from communities, too, can reach the pinnacle and shape India’s sporting future.
